Same Earth, Same Life, Same Ash
by AirbrushedGolem
Summary: When programming the cloning machine, Mewtwo set it to accept any samples that entered. He never imagined that it would change his resolve to destroy the world or affect a young trainer's life in ways he never expected.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Prepare For Trouble

 ***New Island During Mewtwo's Storm***

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled, bursting free from the water. He didn't let his eyes leave the ball that contained his friend, as he followed Mewtwo's device to the hole across the room where the rest of the balls had gone into. "I'm coming buddy!"

The mechanism above the hole began to lower as soon as the ball with Pikachu disappeared from sight. Ash slid down into the gap, narrowly making it and sliding down into the tunnel. He gritted his teeth and held his hat to his head as he disappeared into the darkness, his mind set fully on rescuing Pikachu.

The tunnel ended abruptly, catching the boy unawares and causing him to flip face first into the conveyor belt. Light shone again and he looked up, scrambling onto the moving surface.

"It's the twerp!" a familiar voice cried. Ash looked up, although he spared only a glance to the three felons standing next to the belt as he regained his balance.

"I don't have time for your dumb motto today!" he deflected, not wanting to hear another word from the useless trio. He lunged at the ball that was disappearing through the arch of the machine in front of him, hands clamping onto the device. Mechanical claws reached down and picked him and the ball that confined Pikachu up off of the conveyor belt, one plugging into the eye-like port on the front.

"Who's that Pokemon?" he heard the trio outside call. "It's Pikachu!" Ash grunted in frustration, biting down on the pieces and yanking, pulling, trying as hard as he could to free himself and Pikachu from the machine.

One of the machine's claws grabbed at his hat, but Ash ignored it and focused on the real problem at hand; saving his friend from Mewtwo's clutches. He felt a claw grab at his hair, and he yanked his head away, feeling a chunk of his hair torn from his scalp. He gritted his teeth in pain, but he continued to struggle nonetheless.

Meanwhile, the arm that held his hair disappeared into the inner workings of the machine with its new sample.

Soon the determined trainer began to make it out, the metal arms snapping as he pulled. Then finally, with a great lunge, he was free. He flew forward a few feet and dropped the ball, which cracked open and disintegrated, leaving his electric mouse friend in front of him.

"Pikachu!" Ash sighed in relief, hugging his friend tight against his body. The machine popped like a cap gun and the Pokeballs Mewtwo had created rained down from the air, being spewed out of where they were being held.

The screens went blank as the connections were cut, but the machine still continued working, slowing down more and more as small explosions wrecked the mechanisms.

"Guys, you're ok!" Ash said, hugging all his Pokemon tight, before looking around at the assembled Pokemon from all the trainers. "Mewtwo won't get away with this. We have to go and stop him and the other clone Pokemon. Are you with me?"

The Pokemon looked at him and nodded, wearing determined expressions. They all filed from the room as one, following the boy. Even Team Rocket followed after a moment, leaving the smoking machine behind them.

They didn't notice the distinctly human looking form that appeared on the main screen.

Whirs and clicks filled the room, soft and steadily building until the main tube bubbled. A curled form was released and fell into the base of the nearest tunnel. The black membrane opened as a pale hand reached out, followed by another and then a head, which opened its mouth and gasped a breath of air. The human crawled from the machine without clothes and felt around in confusion, his vision blurry and unfocused. It hurt to breathe or move; his muscles felt like they had never been used.

"P-Pikachu? Are you there?" he said confusedly, curling into a fetal position on the floor as the coldness of the room overwhelmed him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Make It Double

He stayed crouched on the floor, huddled up as he struggled to open his eyes. "Pikachu? Where are you?" he groaned softly.

A sensation ran through his body, making his nerves jolt as if electricity had been fired against him.

 _Pikachu hunched on the floor of Professor Oak's Lab, discharging electricity from its cheeks into its new 'trainer'. Ash screamed out in pain, shaking as the voltage ran through him until he collapsed to the floor, smoke rising from his body and the Pikachu laughing at his pain._

He jolted from his crouch, the memory having been so vivid that his body still shook in pain from the mere thought of it. "P-Pikachu. What's…w-what's happening?" he said, struggling to open his eyes, disoriented by the once sterile environment filled with debris around him. His sight was blurry and he rubbed his eyes, looking harder. There was a machine behind him, smoking and even on fire in some places. Screens adorned the machine and the walls but all were blank.

Slowly, the boy stood up and gasped, realizing he was nude. "Wh-what's going on!?" he cried.

" _Goodnight Ash." Brock said, taking the top bunk across the room. Ash took his cap off and set it on the table next to the bed and nodded, deep in thought. Tomorrow would be a big day and his battle would start at-_

The boy cried out again, his head starting to throb. He already remembered this. Why was it all coming back so vividly?

He shakily walked towards the machine, leaning heavily against the surface. The room was warm, so his lack of clothes was not an immediate worry. "I…I have to find them. Brock...Misty…" Ash winced as he stood on his own. For some reason he felt like his body wasn't entirely under his control, but he brushed that aside, each step becoming steadier.

The machine whirred again, then boomed, a panel flying off and slamming into the back wall. A few mechanical components fell out of the hole and something red and white came with it. "Is that…" Ash started.

" _One more stamp on this one, then I'll mail them all in!" Ash called happily. He was seven again, filling out postcards and sticking stamps on eagerly._

" _Ash, we have to get going or the mail won't go out until tomorrow!" Delia called, smiling and walking into the room. She helped Ash gather up the postcards and put them in a small bag. She smiled again, causing Ash to do the same._

" _This is the last day Mom. We have to send them in now or I won't win my ha-_

 _Mankey jumped up and down in glee, a red and white hat planted firmly on his head. "Give me back my hat!" Ash screamed, rushing after the feisty fighting type. He panted, already having been at this for a while. He was tired, almost to the point of collapse and still the thief avoided his clutches._

Ash gasped and clutched his face, it feeling as if he had just been punched by Mankey like he had that day.

"What's happening to me?" he said, standing straight and snatching his hat out of the air as it fell. He tugged it on over his messed up hair and looked at his reflection in the blank screen of the machine. His face was clean and smooth, but otherwise looked as it always had. He furrowed his brows and leaned closer, feeling as though he was...missing something. He pulled at the skin, blinking a couple times before shrugging in surrender.

The machine whined loud, causing Ash to back away. There were some muted explosions and then all sound stopped, the machine having run its broken components into the ground. "Gotta get out of here." Ash said into the quiet that was left behind the machine. The door opened automatically as Ash left, closing behind him. It was odd, the same material as the tubes inside the room.

Ash put that out of mind and walked down the sterile halls, looking into rooms as he came across them. "Clothes should come first. There's gotta be some around here somewhere." He moved on, working methodically, and within ten minutes found what he was looking for.

The room was unlike the others the hall connected to and was behind a normal door. It was dark, but comfortable looking. Ash ignored the furniture and went straight to the lockers, digging into them and smirking. "Jackpot."

Ash made quick work of going through the lockers. None of the clothes actually fit so he rolled the sleeves and pant legs up, using a stapler from a desk across the room to pin them in place. He spent only a few seconds more before he decided to rip a strip from the bottom of the lab coat he had found and tie it on as a belt.

A mirror in one of the lockers allowed Ash to take a step back and examine the result. It was obvious the clothes were too big to him, but they looked similar to the fashion of a lot of traveling trainers after the changes he had made to them.

A loud explosion made the floor vibrate and Ash looked up, eyes narrowed. Something was happening and his instincts told him that that was where his friends would be. Footsteps echoed on the halls as Ash raced, heart beating harder the closer he got.

"Stairs!" Ash called, seeing an opening. He raced into it and the smoke cloud, breathing the smoke as he tried to get into the clear.

...

"No...STOP!" Ash cried, running into the middle of the arena as Mewtwo and Mew charged up their attacks. He placed himself between them, hoping that the two would come to their senses He had to stop this somehow, all this fighting, he had to-

And that was the last thought that went through him as twin blasts of energy hit him on both sides, and he felt a stillness coming over him...it was almost...calming...

"Ash…no.." Misty said, tears coming to her eyes. She watched as the energy of the two's Pokemon's attacks dissipated, revealing her friend floating in mid-air with a blank expression. Vibrant energy swirled around him, and his skin seemed to pale, becoming grayer.

"Why…why would a human get in the way?" Mewtwo asked himself, watching as the human's Pikachu ran over to the boy, who clanged to the ground.

"Pika-pi… Pika-pi…" Pikachu called, pushing on Ash. The small Pokemon's eyes watered as he continued calling for Ash, starting to zap the statue that had been left in his place. Energies still swirled under his skin, leaving him immobile, looking for all intents and purposes...dead.

"Ash! No!" Misty cried out. Tears started running down Pikachu's face as he eyed what was left of his trainer, his friend...but then, the moment was interrupted by heavy footfalls and coughing from the destroyed entrance inside the citadel.

"Misty, I'm here! Brock! Pikachu!" a familiar voice called. Everyone in the arena turned as a wind blew the smoke away, revealing Ash, hat on his head and wearing brown slacks and a white lab coat and tee. The onlookers stared in shock, Pikachu glancing back and forth between Ash and the statue confusedly, not understanding what he was seeing.

"A clone..." Mewtwo thought, eyes wide as he floated down to the ground and studied this new development. He looked at both of the Ashes, one stone, one alive, and he clenched his fist as he realized what must have happened. Then he relaxed and shook his head. "Maybe...maybe this is for the best…"

The legendary Pokemon gathered everyone's attention to him. "I see now…how wrong I was to think that clones and originals are either better or worse. I see now that we are all equal. I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with that life that determines who you are….who we are."

The Ash still standing stopped in his tracks as he saw what Pikachu kept looking at. He stepped forward apprehensively, really having to study what he was seeing. "Wh-what…" he stammered, reaching the stone version of himself. He blinked in surprise, shaking his head before falling to his knees and pulling Pikachu into a hug. After a minute he looked to Mewtwo. "What's going on?" he asked quietly.

"All you need to know is that you changed me." Mewtwo replied. "We will not meet again, and as my gift to you, you won't remember this day."

The clones glowed with blue energy, all except for Ash, floating upwards. The ground itself took on the hue and a large beam of light filled the sky.

…

Ash turned and smirked at Misty while Brock went on about Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. He hadn't raced off after either woman so his ear was safe for now. He straightened his jacket and pulled his trademark cap on more firmly.

"C'mon guys, let's go!" Ash called, racing from the ferry port. "We're not going to get to Indigo Plateau by laying around!" Ash kept his eyes on the path ahead, a sense of purpose filling his heart.

He didn't go out on the docks, and he did not see Mew flying between the clouds, along with a second figure who watched them guiltily. "I'm sure this was the right thing." Mewtwo said to his counterpart. "I can only hope it works out...in the long run."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Long Way To Indi-go!

Ash patted his stomach and let out a sigh at the full feeling, taking his single bowl over to the stream and washing it out. Pikachu was still munching away on Pokemon food while Brock and Misty were in a discussion about the water Pokemon that might be in the area. The boy smiled and splashed a little water on his face, watching as the ripples settled and showed him his reflection.

It was odd, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was a little different. He'd already been caught looking at his reflection a few times though, so he tore himself away. The insult Misty had used when she caught him still made his cheeks heat up at the implication.

He shook the thought free and wandered over to their packs, rummaging through Brock's because he knew his own didn't contain what he was looking for.

Misty shook her head and smiled wistfully. "I don't think I'd be lucky enough to find a Jhoto water type here. The Pokemon from Jhoto don't migrate to Kanto much." she replied, rubbing the back of her head. "Besides, I still don't have anywhere near all the water Pokemon from Kanto. Maybe I should teach Psyduck to swim first, but UGH he makes me angry!" she yelled, startling Brock.

The older teen raised his hands in a defensive position even though he knew the anger wasn't directed at him. "Well we're mostly going to be travelling next to rivers on the way to Indigo. Why not take the chance to get some practice in with Psyduck? Ash was pretty adamant about going to the Plateau and not back to Pallet. I don't think you'll have to worry about him changing his mind again."

"Yeah, I thought it was weird when he decided to head straight there. I thought he needed to talk to Professor Oak. Did he talk to him on the video phone instead?" Misty asked, her thoughts diverted. "It's weird how he keeps looking at himself. What a narcissist."

Brock rolled his eyes, glad that the squint prevented Misty from seeing it. He didn't dare to bring up the time she spent in front of a mirror. It was less than other girls but Ash's time recently didn't come close to hers. "C'mon Misty, stop being weird over stuff that doesn't matter."

Misty flipped her hair in reply, acting almost like one of her sister's for a second. That thought coming to mind she stopped and nodded, agreeing to leave Ash be for now.

Ash, meanwhile, had found Brock's map and put everything else back, spreading out the sheet of paper. He hmm'ed over the indicators and measured the distance from Indigo with his fingers. That done, he folded the paper back up and replaced it as well.

"You done Pikachu?" he asked, taking the empty bowl from his partner.

"Chaaaa." Came the happy sigh of a reply. Ash chuckled and scratched his head softly before washing Pikachu's bowl as well. The rest of the Pokemon had eaten earlier while Ash had gotten him and Pikachu lost among the small rivers, looking for berries.

Brock and Misty ended their conversation when Misty spotted Ash walking to the clear area of their camp site. Mild curiosity turned to surprise when Ash grabbed every one of his Pokeballs and tossed them in the air. "Is he letting out-"

"Zaaard!" the charizard roared, firing a flamethrower as soon as he was released from his ball. Ash yelped, falling backwards and avoiding a major crisping. Everyone looked on in surprise as Ash then rolled away from the second flamethrower that was targeting him.

"Calm down Charizard!" Ash called, getting hit by the third stream of fire. He stopped and coughed soot comically. "Ouch, that never hurts any less."

Charizard replied with a self satisfied snort and looked around at the clearing, eyeing up Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Pidgeotto. He was already used to Pikachu being there whenever he was let out but something big must be happening if all the others were out as well. He rolled his eyes and grumbled, ignoring his crispy trainer.

"Hey guys." Ash started, brushing his clothes off. "In a month we'll be at the Indigo League and I've been thinking about this a lot. Along our journey we've never really trained much. Basically I've stumbled from battle to battle and we haven't really gotten much stronger as a group. So I want to say I am sorry and ask if you all would like to start seriously training for the League. We can't rely on luck when it comes to being the best, after all!"

By this time both Brock and Misty were floored, both literally and figuratively, and staring at Ash. The kid had finally realized he couldn't coast on luck alone?

His Pokemon looked back and forth amongst themselves and eventually all nodded. Charizard himself even deigned to glance at his trainer for once.

"OK, so first thing is that I want to give everyone the option of being outside of their Pokeballs like Pikachu."

Shock ran the gamut of everyone assembled and the first to reply was Charizard. He screamed his name happily and spread his wings, flapping into the air for a good stretch. It had been so long since he'd been able to fly free! The rest talked amongst themselves as Ash laughed, eyes watching Charizard's flight pattern.

Eventually the chatter calmed down, leaving Ash with the results of Charizard and Bulbasaur wanting to be out all the time and Pidgeotto and Squirtle implying that they wanted to be outside more often. Ash beamed at his Pokemon as the gathered up again.

"OK, so what I want to do is start having mock battles and training between everyone as we make our way to Indigo. If we move at about half pace it should take us twenty of the thirty days left before the competition." Ash explained, getting nods from his Pokemon. "Now along the way I also want to keep an eye out for new Pokemon that could become strong and see if we can get some of you to evolve. But, evolution is just up to you. If you want to stay at your current form then you don't have to worry."

...

Misty pulled Brock aside between two of the practice matches Ash had been having all day today. She made sure they were far enough away from Ash before she started talking to him. "He's gotten serious. It's a little strange after we've been traveling with a dimwitted kid for all these months. Do you think he was always like this?"

Brock thought for a little bit and nodded. "Do you remember when he first got Charmander? He was even more intense for a few days than he is now. And that time he got lost in the snowstorm? I think he's had this deep down for a while."

"So is he going to go back to the goofy kid in a few days?" Misty asked, glancing between the trees and watching Ash confidently give orders.

"Something's different this time" Brock replied, really considering what was happening. "He might go back to normal in a few days, but right now… I think we'll just have to wait and see. Old habits die hard after all."

Misty nodded and regained her usual confident demeanor, already setting in her mind that this would last just a few days. "Yeah, let's see if they're really dead then."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: I Remember

The sea breeze swept over the deserted island. Grass and flowers flowed back and forth, causing waves across the small amount of land that lay above the ocean. The sun shone past the clouds that were finally disappearing from Mewtwo's storm and a gentle warmth filled the three stranded in the middle of the ocean.

"So whad ya tink we're doin here?" Meowth asked, smiling as he lay on the ground with his eyes closed. Jesse and James lay next to him, equally relaxed as their friend.

"I don't know, but I don't mind whatever it is." James replied dreamily, laying back in the flowers. He sat up and plucked one off the ground, holding it to his nose to give it a sniff. "I can't remember a thing.~"

None of them noticed the stone figure of a young boy imprinting the flora, absorbing the sunlight nearby. A small drop of water remained on his cheek, catching the sunlight and sparkling before it was slowly absorbed into the statue. The statue gained color and the chest lowered, then lifted over the course of several minutes. The clothing left on the statue softened and began gently moving with the breeze. Soft light glowed under the still gray skin. Slowly the thicker layers cracked, making a loud noise that captured the attention of the trio.

"Wat was dat!?" Meowth called out, a shiver going up his back as the sound made him jump. "Dere's sometin on dis island!"

The other two sat up as well, eyes casting about. "What could it be Jesse?" James asked, the three clinging together. Another crack echoed through the air and the trio all looked at the same spot where the flowers were pressed flat.

Tentatively, they crept closer, working their way to the spot the noises were coming from. "What the…Jesse, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" James asked as the three separated. The blue haired young man knelt down, looking at the figure on the ground.

"It's the twerp." Jesse replied. "Though there's no Pikachu or friends here. What happened?" She walked around and knelt on the other side of the prone figure.

"He's breathin slow, but look, his skin's as cold as stone!" Meowth called, putting a paw to Ash's forehead. The trio all shared glances and nodded.

"In times of emergency…"

"Team Rocket…"

"Knows how to cut losses!" the three said, finishing the sentence together. James triumphantly pulled a phone from his pocket and walked away, holding it close to his ear and ducking out of the wind.

Meowth stayed close to Ash's head, feeling for a pulse and checking the weird texture and temperature of the skin. "You'd tink the twerp would be dead, bein dis cold. An no pulse ta boot!"

Jesse had been watching the boy's chest rise and fall and nodded in response. Her mind wandered as she watched the signs of life carefully to be sure she didn't miss them. Chansey School ran through her thoughts at the moment and a quick flick of her eyes to Ash's cheek revealed a slightly darker gray than the rest.

…

The sound of helicopter blades filled the air as two landed on the island. The Team Rocket member that hopped off of the vehicle glared at the trio. "So it's you three." he grumbled, narrowing his eyes. "Are you wasting my time?"

The trio cowered then bowed their heads. "No sir, not wasting your time. This really is worth Team Rocket's Research Division being sent out." Jesse said quickly, pulling the other two out of the way to reveal the form of Ash, who looked to be sleeping. However, what really caught the member's attention was the fact that half the boy's body appeared to be stone.

The man stepped forward, pulling a device out of his pocket with a surprised, yet curious look. "You're right for once." he said, kneeling down. The scanner swept over the grey body and beeped in conformation. "Get him aboard the copter. Giovanni will be interested in this."

The trio saluted and picked Ash up, grunting under the weight of the heavy stone body. After struggling to get it inside for a minute or two, the three heaved it up and Ash's body on a table in the middle of the vehicle.

"So, we're finally going to have the Boss' favor." James said slowly, sweeping his hair away from his face and looking at the almost non-existent rising and falling of Ash's chest. "The twerp turned out to be worth more than his Pikachu."

"Never thought it'd come ta dis." Meowth replied, going silent afterwords and rubbing his face.

"Are we doing the right thing?" Jesse asked in a whisper, startling both of the males on the team. She looked shocked for a second and then waved it off. "I just mean we're turning the twerp over for experiments to Team Rocket and he obviously needs a hospital." She tried to come off nonchalant, but there was a hint of worry in her voice.

James looked down, burying his face in his hands and Meowth looked out the window, unwilling to respond to Jesse's question or look at the stone body that was a few feet from them.

"I hope nothin happens to da twerp…" Meowth whispered to the other two, and they both gave a small nod in agreement.

...

"Mewtwo…stop this." Ash groaned, trying to lift his arms against the powerful psychic. He was pinned and his chest felt tight. His mind slow and heavy as he tried to escape the grasp of telekinesis. "Let me go. Stop fighting…"

Ash knew his voice was faint, but he persevered, looking at Mewtwo harshly. His cap was gone, leaving his hair blowing in the wind. He stood, or rather floated, in front of the legendary in their staring match. Then Mewtwo flashed away with a bright light. The light didn't fade, instead getting more intense.

"He's coming around!" somebody shouted, a clatter following the words. There was a rush of activity and more clattering around him.

"Mewtwo…what did you do to everyone…" Ash called weakly, struggling against his bonds. "Pikachu…where are you Pikachu?"

Straps cut into his wrists as he struggled, but it only left light red marks as he was too weak to do any real damage, even to himself. The light began to fade, or he was simply getting used to it, and suddenly he could see…someone…laying on a table. Their head was shaved, small electrical probes stuck to the scalp at various locations. Some were attached to the boy's cheeks, and others ran over his chest.

It took a minute, but Ash slowly realized that the boy was him, reflected in a mirror suspended over the table. He cried out and a doctor approached him, pulling down the mask that was on his face. "Son! Son, it's okay. It's okay, you're going to be all right. We need you to stay calm. Do you understand me?"

Ash looked at the kindly man with wide surprised eyes, drawn to the blue eyes and away from the mirror that reflected his predicament. "Where am I?" he asked weakly.

"You're in a hospital. Something happened to you that almost killed you. It's a miracle you were alive." the man stated. "Son, do you have any family or friends? You were found alone by some of our operatives."

"My mom. Please, call my mom." Ash replied, desperate for something familiar. The doctor nodded and left him for a minute, before returning with a video phone. Ash punched in the number weakly, hoping he would get what he wanted, but instead he was left with call that was ringing…and ringing…and ringing. Ash began to look nervous and finally had to give up, ending the call.

"I don't understand." he said softly, the doctor helping him stand. Ash tried to stand on his own, but dizziness and tiredness overcame him, and the doctor had to catch him before the boy could fall. The doctor led him to a wheelchair in the corner of the room, and Ash looked out the door, seeing clean sterile halls. He looked up at the man and nodded slowly, fatigue wearing at him.

The doctor nodded sympathetically. "She is most likely traveling to the Indigo League. The battles start in less than a week." He kept a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder, but the boy was already half asleep, too weak to struggle when he heard about the fights. Soon he was out like a light and the doctor put him in his room before closing and locking the door.

"Sleep well kid." the doctor said, running his hands through his hair. He pulled off the doctor's coat and smirked without any warmth. "You got a lot ahead of you."

 **A/N:**

 **I want to thank everyone for the reviews! I'm happy there's some interest in following this idea of mine and I didn't want to say anything in an Author's Note until this was revealed.**

 **It will be confusing for a little bit, but I plan to mitigate the confusion on the next chapter involving the original Ash.**

 **How was it? Like the idea for the story? R/R**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Just Water Trainer Things

 _Two weeks before the Indigo League:_

The water trickled softly between the pools, playing a melody that relaxed Misty in a way nothing else could. The road to Indigo through the wilderness was truly one that took time to appreciate. If it hadn't been for her steel resolve to train Psyduck to swim she never would have found this area. In relation it also meant that she never would have found this spot if Ash hadn't changed his mind.

Giving credit to Ash was the one thing Misty wouldn't do, though. She was too proud to admit that the boy really had changed in the least. To her he was still the smiling fool, even after the change in his habits. After all he'd never stopped scarfing food or grinning about everything.

Misty shook herself from the thoughts and pulled out Psyduck's Pokeball again. With a flash of red light the headache riddled Pokemon appeared and Misty could already feel her own head hurting at the tension that existed between the two. Tomorrow they would arrive at Indigo and so far all she could get Psyduck to do was sit in the shallow end of any pool or river that they came across.

"Psyduck?" The Pokemon asked, tilting his head and looking towards Misty. He glanced around and spotted the water. "Psy yi!" He was distraught that he would be forced into the water again after the last time. Misty had lost her temper and knocked the duck into the water with a giant mallet.

"C'mon Psyduck!" Misty yelled, hands propped on her hips and a tick mark on her forehead already. "Into the water!" Her glare was enough to send anyone running and Psyduck was no exception. The recent training with water had made him more attentive than his usual oblivious state.

Psyduck scrambled, waddling into the shallows and plopping himself down. He turned to look at his red headed trainer with a hopeful expression. The expression dropped when he saw Misty already holding her mallet menacingly. With a soft sigh, Psyduck closed his eyes and started forward, an inch at a time.

When the water brushed his stomach he gasped softly, cringing and having to force himself to relax. Misty wouldn't hesitate to knock him fully into the water and of the two options, walking in himself seemed far more pleasant.

Misty watched happily, leaning on the mallet and watching her Pokemon finally walk into the water. "Finally." she muttered to herself. With ease she took off her clothes to reveal the two part bathing suit beneath. This was the part of training she had wanted to get to!

Psyduck was forced to open his eyes when a small splash of water hit his face only to see that his trainer had dived into the water. He squirmed with panic before taking a deep breath. Misty surfaced further in where the pool deepened and smiled at the Pokemon.

"C'mon in Psyduck, the water's fine." She reached out her hand, waiting for the Pokemon to take it so she could start the practice on learning to swim.

With no small bit of reluctance, Psyduck put his small hand in Misty' and was gently pulled out into the water. Emotions overpowered the headached Pokemon and drove the pain away as panic set in. "Kick Psyduck!" Misty called, and he responded. The webbed feet kicked hard, pushing Psyduck erratically through the water, but keeping him upright.

Misty cheered mentally and continued to hold his hand as his feet slowly learned the rhythm to peddle water. Misty slowly let go of him as he learned, swimming around him as the water type finally picked up the skills that he had lacked ever since he had chosen to come with her.

Elation filled Psyduck as he swam around, slowly picking up on every technique that Misty provided. He smiled and ducked beneath the water, then broke the surface. He picked up speed over the next few hours and finally was able to keep pace with his trainer, causing even more happiness to fill his mind.

"OK." Misty called, slowly backpedaling towards the shore. "That's enough for today Psyduck. We'll work on even more tomorrow and the others will join us. Though it will be in a regular pool next time."

Psyduck turned, a look of disappointment on his usually stoic face. "Psy, psy duck?" he asked, slowly starting to glow. Misty turned back, mouth open in shock as Psyduck slowly grew in the white light. After it vanished there was a tall blue duck swimming easily to his trainer. "Goooolduck!"

"You evolved!" Misty shouted in near disbelief before hugging him tight and laughing. They didn't stop swimming for another hour.

When the two entered camp dinner was just being served. Misty looked a little guilty at not having helped the other two set up but she couldn't help the glee that filled her. She had helped Psyduck evolve and that elation was something she was going to hold on and treasure. Maybe she was only one step closer to her dream, but it was a step in the right direction.

Upon approaching the campfire, Ash looked up with a smile. "Looks like your training went well today Mist." he commented with a grin. His own Pokemon had been gaining strength and evolving more rapidly than hers, though she had to admit his training was far more focused on it.

Misty glanced at the Wartortle and Pidgeot that stood to the side, talking and bowls empty.

"Yeah, it went really good. Psy- I mean Golduck, started swimming and then when I was about to come back he evolved." Misty replied somewhat shortly. She didn't feel like sharing every detail of the moment the two had shared after he had evolved and was expecting Ash to ask for them. Her hand was ready to grab for her mallet when he simply smiled and nodded, going back to eating.

The night held only idle chatter as they prepared their packs to move on again the next day. Even with camping here for a few days they were on schedule and Indigo was half a day's walk away.

Misty fell asleep that night to pleasant dreams of Pokemon and water.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Round One, Indigo Begin!

Ash whistled as he walked through the gates to the Plateau. It was much more impressive in person than it ever was on television. In fact, the television probably made it look less desirable than it was. The young boy had his head craned in almost every direction as he checked out the trinket shops and large screens advertising everything from keychains to Pokemon Transport Systems.

"You'd think everyone would return from Indigo with strained necks the way first timers gawk." said a voice from the left. Ash and his friends glared, Charizard stepping up behind him to make the glare more intimidating. The person that had the combined visual assault land on him was none other than Gary Oak.

"As if you've been to Indigo Plateau before Gary." Ash replied with an eyeroll. "I bet you've been gawking for the past week at least."

Gary lifted his eyebrows and smirked at his rival. "Would you listen to that! Sounds like Ashy boy's finally admitting who the best trainer is, even going as far as to say that I beat him by a whole week."

The girls surrounding Gary at the table laughed on cue with the insult that had been fired. Misty bristled at the laughter of these females that looked like they may have been closer related to her sisters than she was. Brock, meanwhile, had lost his attention to one of the Officer Jennys that patrolled the bounds of the Plateau.

Ash turned his attention briefly, missing most of the laughter as he grabbed Brock's backpack to stop him from making a bee-line away. He wasn't against Brock hitting on girls as long as he minded his manners but right now they needed to check in at the Pokemon Center to get rooms. While he had been preoccupied Misty had been returning snappy retorts with the girls in Gary's group.

After listening for a little bit he grabbed one of her suspender snaps and started dragging the both of them. "Don't lose too soon, Gary. I want to see how much you've trained for this!" He called over his shoulder.

Ash found the sign in area easily, his Pokedex being scanned and then given a set of keys to a room in Pokemon Village.

"Brock, you can go as soon as you put your backpack in the room." Ash snapped, dragging him by said backpack. The two left a trail of hearts floating in the air behind him and not a small amount of the older boy's drool. Misty was still flustered after her spat with the puffed up girls and pointedly ignored her love stricken travel companion. All it was doing was reminding her how shallow people could be.

It took less than a minute to arrive at their lodgings and Ash handed out room keys to the other two before Brock dropped his pack and dashed back to the outside. Misty and Ash continued to the inside and sat down with a sigh of relief. At this point it was mid afternoon and both had aching feet from the hard pavement walkways that led into Indigo.

"Do you think Brock is a bit more flirty than usual after he sees a Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny?" Ash finally asked, letting Pikachu jump back to his shoulders as Bulbasaur and Charizard explored the accommodations. Ash had been given an extra large apartment due to so many Pokemon staying outside of their balls. He particularly liked the vaulted living area that revealed a balcony on the second floor with three separate rooms.

"What do you mean?" Misty replied, holding Togepi in her lap. Ash blinked and tilted his head at the door.

"I mean, sure, there's a decent amount of pretty girls here but no more than any other city we've been in. The only difference is that there are plenty of Officer Jenny walking the streets and that Brock is literally chasing every girl that he sees."

Misty tapped her chin a few times and shrugged. "I didn't notice anything, he's always like this in the cities, I mean. Maybe it's because I'm always dragging him off by his ear and you haven't noticed before."

Ash nodded and was about to offer more when the phone rang. The sound took him off guard and it was a half minute of searching to find that the device was mounted just inside the kitchen.

"Hello?" Ash answered while Misty went back to playing with Togepi. "Yes? Oh, okay. Yeah, I accept and agree to it all." Misty raised an amused eyebrow after Ash was off the phone, silently asking what was up.

"Oh, my mom's here in Indigo. I guess she left a message with the owner of the Pokemon Village for us both to be informed when I arrived. She's also coming for dinner and the note said that dinner is going to be home cooked, no eating out allowed."

The couch depressed slightly as Ash sat down, his cap being pulled off and dropping onto the side table. He picked up a lock of hair and held it before his eyes. His hair was long and in need of a good wash.

"I'll be happy to see Ms. Ketchum. She's always been so nice when we were travelling. I think the last time we saw her was at that swimsuit competition." Misty replied.

"Hmm, I don't remember that. It has been a while though. Hey, I'm going to take a shower. Can you listen for the door while I'm washing?" Misty nodded and Ash wasted little time heading into the spacious bathroom. It was plenty big enough for any human, though the largest of Pokemon may have been cramped inside. He made a note to take care of his Pokemon later, if they wanted a good wash.

…

Dinner was a quiet affair. By the time Ash had showered, the entire apartment was filled with food smells. Delia had arrived and refused any and all help in meal preparation as she cooked up a miniature feast. Her greeting to Ash had been a tight hug then she held his face, thumbs wiping over the top of his cheekbones before a kiss had been planted on his forehead.

After that, Ash was happy that only Misty and his Pokemon had been around to see the embarrassment it caused.

When food finally came out everyone was more invested in the food than any form of talk until after the dirty plates had been stacked and left overs tucked away.

"You seem all grown up Ash." Delia commented with a sad smile. "Have you been eating well and changing your you-know-what every day?"

Ash blushed like a tomato and nodded. "Yes Mom, and everything else too. Brock's good at keeping us fed while we travel." Ash didn't pitch in that he'd also been watching the older boy cook with a growing interest for the past week of their travel. The amount of spices that Brock used to make his food taste great was ridiculous.

"Ms. Ketchum, what is this dish called?" Misty asked, changing the subject. She held up a small circle of bread that was crusted in different types of orange that had been left on the table after everything else. There was a small bite taken out of the side of it.

Delia smiled and shook her head. "Misty, call me Delia, please. And that is a cheddar chive biscuit. It's a new recipe that I thought I'd try out along with everything else."

The woman smiled as the mood settled into a content quite. Ash wandered between his Pokemon, making sure that everyone had had enough to eat before he reclaimed his spot on the couch, finally pulling out a small card that had his match info on it. He'd been preoccupied earlier and had not checked.

"The Astounding Mandy?" He asked himself quietly.

…

Ash took a deep breath as he stepped into the water stadium's field, taking in the cheering and general hyped up atmosphere. Misty and Delia sat in the stands cheering for the boy as Brock moped next to them, his flirting last night having been fruitless. Misty had offered to be a coach for Ash but he had declined. If he were to win in the League he really wanted to do it on his own.

The announcer began his statements, the speakers around the stadium relaying his voice. "Now for the third battle on the water field! On the green side is trainer Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!" The applause picked up after Ash's introduction and it took a few seconds before the announcer continued. "And on the red side, Pokemon League favorite, The Astounding Mandy!"

Where Ash's applause had stopped after a few seconds, the man across the field from him waved to the crowd, encouraging the mind numbingly loud cheers to just keep coming. As he turned, his waist length hair danced in a soft breeze, purple eyes flashing from the crowd to Ash in a taunting manner.

Ash felt his face heat up and he ground his teeth a little bit as he patiently waited for the applause to die down.

After a few minutes, Mandy lowered his hand and the crowd quieted like magic. "Each trainer is allowed three Pokemon, now let the battle begin!" The announcer finally finished.

"Now Ash, let me show you my magic!" Mandy called from across the field. With a flourish he turned his seemingly empty hands over and showed a full sized Pokeball that had appeared from nowhere.

The blush pronounced itself further and Ash tugged the bill on his trademark cap firmly, declining to reply to the taunt. He simply took a ball from the first spot on his belt and held it aloft, ready for the match to begin now and drive the embarrassment away. He was determined to win.

Both trainers threw their Pokeballs at the exact same time, the red lights condensing on the field to reveal an Exeggutor on Mandy's side and Bulbasaur on Ash's. The grass poison type had agreed to return to the Pokeball to not give away the battle plan.

"Looks like we had the same battle plan, Mandy." Ash finally quipped, grinning at his opponent.

"So we did." The magician replied, eyes flashing. "Exeggutor, Psybeam!"

"Hurry Bulbasaur, side with your vines then your new move!" Ash called in reply.

Exeggutor fired a ring of energy that shot forward across the field. Bulbasaur had a mere second which he used to fire his vines out and launch himself to the side. The bulb on his back started bubbling as he soared, the ring smashing the cement where he had been standing a moment before.

The retaliation finally launched, a huge glob of purple goop being flung at the grass and psychic type. With the speed of the moves Mandy did not have a chance to order a counter and Exeggutor was too large to dodge quickly. The Sludge Bomb landed directly, coating the opposing Pokemon with force and causing a billow of caustic steam.

"Exeggutor, into the water, wash it off!" Mandy called frantically and his Pokemon complied.

"Bulbasaur, Poison Powder on top of the water!" Ash called loudly, excited at this tactic.

Bulbasaur called an affirmative and his bulb swelled, dowsing the pool in purple powder. When Exeggutor burst from the surface his skin was damaged from the previous attack and now the Poison Powder laden surface clung everywhere, causing the Pokemon to be poisoned.

By now the Pokemon was panting and Bulbasaur was as fresh now as he had been at the start.

"Another Psybeam Exeggutor, hit it hard!"

"Vines to dodge." Ash replied in a normal tone. His eyes were glued to the battle, taking in every attack. So far Mandy had given only one attack command, but the psychic move would be dangerous if it landed. The power was enough to crush the cement and it would be super effective on Bulbasaur.

Finally Ash saw an opening! "Bulbasaur, behind, Sludge to knock him in!"

Bulbasaur complied, getting behind Exeggutor and launching a point blank Sludge Bomb to the part psychic type's back, propelling him back into the poison topped pool. Exeggutor didn't burst to the top as before but floated up, the faces that could be seen having swirls in its eyes.

"Great job Bulbasaur!" Ash called, hopping a little bit in place. "Pi pikachu!" the yellow mouse called from his shoulder, giving congratulations to his green team mate.

"Bulbasaur!" the bulb frog replied excitedly. Mandy returned his first Pokemon and was about to send out his second when Bulbasaur started glowing. Ash smirked, knowing that his Pokemon had been on the verge of evolving for weeks now. He guessed that all it took was a real battle for a little push.

Once the light faded, Bulbasaur had been replaced by a slightly bigger, fanged, and open bulbed Ivysaur.

"Congrats Ivysaur!" Ash called. Before more could be said Mandy released his next Pokemon, a Seadra, onto the field.

Mandy glared at the boy and Ash smirked in reply. "Vine Whip then Solar Beam." he said calmly.

Mandy ground his teeth, not even having put away his second Pokeball before having to recall his downed Seadra. Between the poison and the power boost from evolution this was one formidable opponent.

"Golbat, I chose you!" Mandy yelled with his usual flourish.

Ash grimaced at the next Pokemon that came out. Ivysaur was weak here and Poison would have no effect on this opponent, he needed to think of something and fast.

…

James wiped a few beads of sweat from his forehead and waved the last customer from the rush away. The trio were busy selling small trinkets to the crowds and making a small fortune from it as well. They weren't against the labor that went into making what they sold and as such were able to undersell all the competition in the Plateau that had factory made trinkets.

The blue haired man had to scoff at the thought of the other vendor's items being 'trinkets'. To him the term 'trash' was a much better fit. There was no effort put into the creation. There was certainly no creativity!

"Come look at dis!" Meowth called from the back of the shop. James lifted the cloth flap and found the scratch cat paused in the middle of his work staring at the small crank television that they had to watch the matches with. James leaned over the Pokemon's shoulder and gasped as the scene switched from an Ivysaur and Golbat duking it out to a pan of the trainers.

There, on the screen, was Ash Ketchum, twerp target number one.

"How?" James asked, confusion lacing his voice. "Did they really let him go?"

"I don tink so." Meowth replied, as flabbergasted as James was. He scrutinized the image harshly. "Dere's sometin different bout dis one Jimmy boy."

James looked close and tilted his head. He thought so too, but couldn't place it. "Right now I think it's just that his skin isn't the color of a rock anymore."

Meowth nodded slowly, accepting the reason. "I tink we better report dis."

James watched the screen for a little bit longer as the Ivysaur, beaten and looking like it was about to pass out slammed the Golbat against the surface of the water hard. The Golbat struggled out only to have the same thing happen two more times before it was too much. The two Pokemon passed out at the same time and a draw was called, then Ash as the winner since it seemed to be that he had two more Pokemon in the reserves still.

With the resolution clear, James backed away, pulling a phone from his pocket and checking the counter before he punched in the number.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Broadcast

Ash laughed lightly, scritching the small rodent Pokemon on the head. He had bags under his eyes and he seemed to shiver at the slightest breeze that came through the halls and waiting rooms of the small clinic he was in. When the doctor had encouraged him to connect with his therapy Pokemon Ash had been resistant, but was now glad that he'd given in. The Ratata was helping him get over the seperation anxiety from his other Pokemon.

The clinic, Ash had found out, was in the remote north western area of Kanto, closer to Mt. Silver than it was to the League or Pewter City. He lifted his eyes from the small Pokemon and shuddered, thinking back to the events that had lead up to him being here.

All of the clone Pokemon had been fighting against the originals so hard. Pikachu had refused, but everyone else! Without the special attacks, the bodily harm had been violent. He shivered again as the thought of his Charizard being bitten on the neck and driven to the ground. Bulbasaur had been putting up a different front but it was no less vicious.

His thoughts slowly slipped to Team Rocket. They had been on the outskirts of the battle. He'd barely glimpsed them before he charged in but his memories kept replaying the moment and he felt like he'd stared at them alone in that one moment, for hours.

There had been two Meowths and they hadn't been fighting. Even Pikachu had been taking a beating, but somehow the scratch cats had resisted. It was the only still area of his turbulent thoughts to focus on, so he took solace.

Then the thought of his own charge came back and how both Mew and Mewtwo had fired energy at him. He held his stomach as the phantom pain returned again, the simple memory causing him to feel like he was experiencing it all over again.

"Ow!" He yelled, opening his eyes and looking down. Ratata was looking at him with worry, having just nipped his finger to draw him out of the memories. Ash was quiet for a little bit, almost unmoving, and then he smiled. "Thanks buddy."

The small Pokemon nodded then rolled the stress ball Ash had been tossing back to the trainer. Ash could see the worry in the Pokemon's eyes and smiled softly for the first time in the last few days. He felt that without Ratata he would have gone crazy. The quiet of the clinic was driven away by his laugh at Ratata's antics.

...

A man in a white lab coat tapped his fingers as he watched the screens showing all that Ash was experiencing with a frown. His brow furrowed as he jotted down a few more notes before glancing behind him again. Alakazam hovered in the middle of the room, spoons pointed at the unconscious boy and the Ratata sitting on separate cots.

There was a light knock at the door and then it opened, revealing a strong jawed man in a business suit. Giovanni looked intently at the boy and then to the scientist, eyes indicating that he wanted to know all there was to know.

"He's stable." The scientist immediately replied. "Alakazam has ensured that the memories repeat and he feels everything. When we wake him up the pain will be psychosomatic already. The introduction of Ratata as an anchor has left him reliant on the Pokemon to pull him back."

Giovanni inspected the scientist's face as if searching for signs of deceit, then nodded. "Good work. With the memories triggering pain he won't attempt to seek out Mewtwo in the future."

The scientist nodded slowly then indicated another screen that displayed the monitored brain waves and signs of life. There was one, however, that spiked erratically. "This monitor, sir…" The scientist started cautiously. "The boy has innate aura and it's resisting the psychic environment. He's already tried to leave the building several times."

A spark ignited in Giovanni's eyes and he approached the monitor, checking the sporadic log, seeing that the intensity had increased from the start of the log a few days ago.

"We had no idea what was interfering until two days ago, when there was a burst of the energy. It knocked out Simmons and almost woke him up. At the rate of build up there will be another burst tomorrow. He's not powerful, but the energy is trying to break the psychic hold."

"This is good, actually. I was going to ask to have him woken up sometime this afternoon anyways. How is his reaction to the clones in the flashbacks?" Giovanni asked, taking a seat at the monitor bank.

"It's not as violent as his reactions to Mewtwo, but he seems to have started associating clones with distress. Possible distrust and fear in the future, if he comes into contact with them…" The scientist slowly put together the information he'd already gathered and the path of Giovanni's questions, his eyes narrowing.

Giovanni grinned as he watched the mental process. It was at most two seconds, but he knew his scientist had caught on.

"I got a call this morning. There is currently an Ash Ketchum competing in the Indigo Conference. He easily won his first preliminary and showed immense strategy. I reviewed the few gym battle records that exist and was not impressed at all. It's almost as if…" Giovanni paused, a small smile taking over his lips. "...he's a different person."

Ray let his surprise show for only a moment before he composed himself. He nodded briskly and pulled a small sheet out to hand to Giovanni. "I'll have Alakazam focus the fear and distrust for the rest of the day before I wake him up. Is there a specific reason you want him awake then sir?"

"We're going to let the boy watch the Pokemon League championships, of course." Giovanni smirked and then walked away, looking over the condensed report on all that had happened in his absence.

Ray watched him go and slowly shut the door, letting it click shut. His mask dropped and revealed distress for the first time in a long time. Simmons was still out from the blast and Ray had been brought in only for the fact that he was Alakazam's trainer. Now, alone with the boy and seeing which way his fate was going to be directed, he rubbed his face.

"Alakazam." He muttered softly. "Cancel all emotional altering, and reduce the flashbacks. If anyone asks… We did what Giovanni said."

Alakazam opened his eyes and nodded slowly. It had been a long time since he heard the tone in his trainer's voice and he longed to go over and hold him tight like he had done as a small Abra. Ray had protected him then, but now he was the one that needed protection.

' _Should we leave with the boy? Get him away?'_ Alakazam asked telepathically and Ray smiled softly. He opened his mind to his friend, revealing his distrust and absolute hate for the situation. Team Rocket had corrupted him, but Alakazam slowly warmed as he saw Ray regaining the passion he'd had long ago. He might not actively save the boy, but he was going to do everything he could to mitigate the damage they had already done and protect him from more.

Ray walked over to the computer and began typing and transferring files to a new folder labeled 'Satoshi'

 **Hi all readers, new and old. It has been a long time since I updated and that's mostly because my computer crashed and I lost everything, including my email for my fanfic account. Big thanks to EmeraldPichu for the review that sent an email to my old phone and let me access everything again.**

 **Soooo. We now see what the original Ash is up to and introduction of the name he will be called the rest of this story! That's right, the confusion ends here. :D**

 **R/R everyone, see you next chapter!**


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